Amazon Web Services is committing up to $100 million in cloud computing credits to support US national security and scientific research initiatives, launching two programs to support the adoption of generative AI and advanced cloud services across federal agencies.
The new efforts, the AWS Warfighter Capability Accelerator Initiative and the AWS Genesis Accelerator Initiative, will each provide up to $50 million in credits over a three-year period running through 2028.
Potential Use Cases
The Warfighter Capability Accelerator Initiative is focused on the Department of Defense (referred to in the announcement as the Department of War) along with defense contractors and organizations within the defense sector. Eligible participants include prime contractors, startups, research institutions and manufacturing facilities supporting defense missions.
Potential use cases include AI and agentic systems, AI-enabled battle management, homeland defense, advanced manufacturing, logistics, cybersecurity and space-based platforms. Amazon said the goal is to reduce the time required to move projects from development to deployment, compressing innovation cycles that historically stretched across years.
David Fitzgerald, deputy undersecretary of the Army, said in a statement that the department is pursuing multiple initiatives that address “pressing real-world challenges.” AWS said that the program aligns with the Pentagon’s 2026 National Defense Strategy and its AI development, along with a White House executive order aimed at modernizing defense acquisition processes.
The second program, the Genesis Accelerator Initiative, is geared toward scientific research. It will support projects led by the Department of Energy, including the National Nuclear Security Administration, national laboratories and research organizations.
Priority areas include biotechnology, nuclear fission and fusion, supercomputing and quantum information science. AWS said the initiative is named in reference to the federal government’s Genesis Mission, launched under a 2025 executive order designed to boost the productivity of U.S. research through AI tools.
Technical Guidance and Training
Beyond credits for compute usage, both initiatives will offer technical guidance and training in cloud architecture, machine learning and software development. AWS said participating organizations will have access to solution architects and AI specialists. The programs will support workloads across classification levels, from FedRAMP High environments to Top Secret and Sensitive Compartmented Information.
The announcement reflects a larger effort to embed AI into government operations, which tends to lag their commercial counterparts. Federal agencies have increasingly sought partnerships with hyperscalers as generative AI tools move from experimentation to consistent use. Industry gatherings like as the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit have highlighted the growing alignment between the public sector and commercial AI development.
AWS claims that it serves more than 11,000 government agencies worldwide, and has been steadily expanding its footprint in federal cloud infrastructure. In recent months, the General Services Administration announced a OneGov agreement with AWS aimed at driving cloud modernization and cost savings across agencies through 2028.
How to Apply for Funds
Agencies interested in the accelerator programs must submit proposals through an AWS portal, after which the company will coordinate consultations to align projects with Defense Department and Energy Department priorities. Approved credits will be applied to existing contracts, enabling agencies to begin work without waiting for new procurement cycles.
